{"id":53508,"date":"2018-12-31T15:46:41","date_gmt":"2018-12-31T15:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/12\/31\/incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T10:51:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T10:51:09","slug":"incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/2018\/12\/31\/incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"Incoming chairman\u2019s top goal for 2019: Building up VA, not outside care programs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON \u2014 Rep. Mark Takano doesn\u2019t see President Donald Trump as an enemy to veterans. But he isn\u2019t sure if the administration is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/veterans\/2018\/08\/10\/concerns-build-over-trumps-unofficial-advisors-on-veterans-policy\/\" target=_blank>a reliable friend to them, either<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDemocrats aren\u2019t out to come out with a pelt, say we\u2019ve driven a secretary out of office. Our intention is to mend, not end, VA,\u201d the incoming chairman of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/2018\/11\/24\/confirmation-of-new-va-cio-takes-new-urgency-in-light-of-recent-problems\/\" target=_blank>House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee<\/a> told Military Times in a recent interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut I don\u2019t know if VA is in a better place today than a year ago. The secretary has only been in place for five months. We\u2019re parsing his words \u2026 I\u2019m looking to see if he really wants to work together, or if he is going to pursue an ideologically driven agenda.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Takano, 58, takes over the committee next month amid a tumultuous time for the House of Representatives and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Control of the former is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/10\/23\/the-military-could-see-big-changes-if-democrats-win-control-of-congress\/\" target=_blank>switching parties for the first time in eight years<\/a>. The latter is on its fourth secretary since the start of 2014, and been embroiled in multiple leadership scandals over the last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/2018\/12\/19\/with-deadline-looming-lawmakers-worry-about-new-va-community-care-rules\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_18228777358219.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">With deadline looming, lawmakers worry about new VA community care rules<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Department officials say they are on track to put new veterans medical rules in place by June, but advocates worry they haven&#039;t seen details so far.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That makes Takano, the former British literature teacher turned four-term California congressman, a key figure in coming months as Democrats look to deliver on their promise of more oversight for Trump\u2019s policies and administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For his part, Takano is promising to continue the committee\u2019s tradition of bipartisanship, saying he won\u2019t be issuing subpoenas or demanding witnesses without the backing of his Republican counterparts on the committee. He expects continued harsh questions for VA from the new minority members on recent technology and GI Bill payment errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But he is also promising \u201cmore vigorous oversight\u201d in the months ahead as the new chairman, saying the committee must press harder on the department to ensure veterans are being given the best opportunities to succeed in post-military life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDemocrats, we\u2019re mindful of making government work,\u201d he said. \u201cRepublicans in recent years, ideologically, have been wired to discredit government, to highlight failures and use that as an excuse to outsource everything. That\u2019s an extreme position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf there is an agenda on (VA Secretary Robert Wilkie\u2019s) part to put us on a path to privatization, he\u2019s the one who is going to be an adversary, not just to me but to veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Takano\u2019s vision for the department includes more staffing at VA hospitals and more funding for upgrades to existing department facilities. During a recent hearing with Wilkie on Capitol Hill, he chastised the department for \u201cslow-walking\u201d efforts to fill more than 41,000 vacant department posts, an area where Wilkie and other top officials have insisted they are making progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is a case by doing right by veterans will also do right by the country,\u201d he said. \u201cSolving staffing problems at VA is also going to mean solving the medical workforce development issues for the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We can ensure that every veteran can access their benefits and get the quality care they need by:<br>\u2714\ufe0f Fighting against VA privatization<br>\u2714\ufe0f Holding predatory for-profit colleges accountable<br>\u2714\ufe0f Filling VA employee vacancies<br>\u2714\ufe0f Creating a VA that works for every veteran <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/570jqMchCJ\">pic.twitter.com\/570jqMchCJ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Mark Takano (@RepMarkTakano) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepMarkTakano\/status\/1044657687408054274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 25, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But some of those efforts appear to be in opposition to administration plans for expanding VA community care plans, shifting resources to private-sector doctors. Wilkie has repeatedly insisted the moves do not amount to privatizing VA health care. Takano has his doubts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cVA has always been referring people to the private sector,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is a question of balance. Are we going to see administrative gamesmanship to emphasize private sector care and neglect the vacancies inside VA? Are we going to neglect updating physical infrastructure of VA facilities?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI still don\u2019t know what direction the secretary is taking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At that December hearing, Wilkie outlined broad parameters for upcoming rule changes for community care programs mandated under the VA Mission Act, signed into law last summer and repeatedly lauded by Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Takano has promised a close watch on those rules. While Republicans have pushed for looser policies to ensure easier access to outside doctors, Takano and his Democratic colleagues have warned that too open guidelines could erase VA\u2019s role as the central care coordinator for veterans, a goal spelled out in the legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2018\/04\/11\/vets-groups-and-lawmakers-say-theyre-against-it-but-what-does-privatization-of-veterans-affairs-really-mean\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_13102205629.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Vets groups and lawmakers say they\u2019re against it \u2014 but what does \u2018privatization\u2019 of Veterans Affairs really mean?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The term will command much of the debate at the new VA secretary&#039;s confirmation hearing, but different groups have different definitions.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat we do know (from recent studies) is that VA health care is on par with, if not better than, private sector care,\u201d he said. \u201cThe problem is access to that care. So let\u2019s work on access to that care, enhanced internal capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t mind working in tandem with greater efficiencies with the Choice program. But I want to remind Secretary Wilkie that the veterans\u2019 first choice is VA health care, and that has to be strengthened and enhanced. Access to that care needs to be greatly improved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/2018\/12\/13\/va-hospitals-often-the-best-option-for-medical-care-study-finds\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"203\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP_821518132423.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">VA hospitals often the best option for medical care, study finds<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">But VA officials insist the research does not undermine their efforts to expand vets&#039; access to private-sector medical options.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That fight should start becoming clearer in coming weeks. Wilkie has promised the new system will be in place by the June deadline outlined in the law, and that details of the new community care rules will be presented to lawmakers early in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Takano also has his eye on hearings to monitor progress with improvements to GI Bill payouts, the department\u2019s promised new electronic medical records system, suicide prevention programs and efforts to end veterans homelessness. He expects most of that work to be driven by bipartisan interest in improving the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI want to preserve the sacred bipartisan space we have on this committee,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m not on a trajectory to oppose this administration as a mission. But my mission is to do right by veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Mark Takano says he wants to see more effort put into hiring VA staffers instead of focusing on sending veterans to private-sector doctors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":96473,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,93,12,25,67,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3226],"class_list":["post-53508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"GLAIARZG7ZCDZM3HLXG4O2XQOI","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2018\/12\/31\/incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Incoming chairman\u2019s top goal for 2019: Building up VA, not outside care programs - Marine Corps Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rep. Mark Takano says he wants to see more effort put into hiring VA staffers instead of focusing on sending veterans to private-sector doctors.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Incoming chairman\u2019s top goal for 2019: Building up VA, not outside care programs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rep. Mark Takano says he wants to see more effort put into hiring VA staffers instead of focusing on sending veterans to private-sector doctors.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/2018\/12\/31\/incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Marine Corps Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-12-31T15:46:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T10:51:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Leo Shane III\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Leo Shane III\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/31\\\/incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/31\\\/incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"Incoming chairman\u2019s top goal for 2019: Building up VA, not outside care programs\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2018-12-31T15:46:41+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T10:51:09+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/31\\\/incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 910,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/31\\\/incoming-chairmans-top-goal-for-2019-building-up-va-not-outside-care-programs\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/3187550.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Home\",\n\t                \"Middle Column\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Pentagon &amp; 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